Master Syllabi identify
essential content which students should expect to cover in a particular class.
Faculty who teach courses represented by the master syllabi are required to
cover identified content topics utilizing their professional judgment on how to
best present these issues to students. In addition, master syllabi identify DCC
educational objectives which are supported by that course. Identification of
supported objectives notifies the instructor that class assignments and
assessment of student performance should be designed to promote development of
skills relevant to them as well as promote mastery of specific content topics.

Hence, specific class outlines for a course are expected to
identify how assignments required of students promote or support these
objectives. Students should expect to be assessed by instructors on their
successful mastery of these skills as well as mastery of course content.

DCC
General Education Goals and Student Learning Outcomes*

Danville Community College graduates will
demonstrate competency in the following general education areas:

1. Communication

A
competent communicator can interact with others using all forms of
communication, resulting in understanding and being understood. DCC graduates
will demonstrate the ability to:

1.4 use appropriate verbal and
non-verbal response in interpersonal relations and group discussions;

1.5 use listening skills; and

1.6 recognize
the role of culture in communication.

2. Critical Thinking

A
competent critical thinker evaluates evidence carefully and applies reasoning
to decide what to believe and how to act. DCC graduates will demonstrate the
ability to:

2.1 discriminate among degrees of
creditability, accuracy, and reliability of inferences drawn from given data;

2.2 recognize assumptions, or
presuppositions in any given source of information;

2.3 evaluate the strengths and
relevance of arguments on a particular question or issue;

2.4 weigh evidence and decide if
generalizations or conclusions based on the given data are warranted;

2.5 determine whether certain
conclusions or consequences are supported by the information provided; and

2.6 use problem solving skills.

3. Cultural and Social Understanding

A
culturally and socially competent person possesses an awareness, understanding,
and appreciation of the interconnectedness of the social and cultural
dimensions within and across local, regional, state, national, and global
communities. DCC graduates will demonstrate the ability to:

3.1 assess the impact that social
institutions have on individuals and culture—past, present, and future;

3.2 describe their own as well as
others’ personal ethical systems and values within social institutions;

3.3 recognize the impact that arts and
humanities have upon individuals and cultures;

3.4 recognize the role of language in
social and cultural contexts; and

A
person who is competent in quantitative reasoning possesses the skills and
knowledge necessary to apply the use of logic, numbers, and mathematics to deal
effectively with common problems and issues. A person who is quantitatively
literate can use numerical, geometric, and measurement data and concepts,
mathematical skills, and principles of mathematical reasoning to draw logical
conclusions and to make well-reasoned decisions. DCC graduates will demonstrate
the ability to:

6.1 use logical and mathematical
reasoning within the context of various disciplines;

6.2 interpret and use mathematical
formulas;

6.3 interpret mathematical models such
as graphs, tables, and schematics and draw inferences from them;

6.4 use graphical, symbolic, and
numerical methods to analyze, organize, and interpret data;

6.5 estimate and consider answers to
mathematical problems in order to determine reasonableness; and

A
person is competent in scientific reasoning adheres to a self-correcting system
of inquiry (the scientific method) and relies on empirical evidence to
describe, understand, predict, and control natural phenomena.DCC graduates will demonstrate the ability
to:

7.1 generate consistent arguments
based on empirical evidence;

7.2 distinguish a scientific argument
from a non-scientific argument;

7.3 reason by deduction, induction,
and analogy;

7.4 distinguish between causal and
correlational relationships; and

7.5 recognize methods of inquiry that
lead to scientific knowledge.

*Complements
Virginia Community College System General Education Goals and Student Learning
Outcomes (www.vccs.edu)